After nine years in the courts, the Cobell v. Norton trust fund lawsuit doesn't appear to be close to a settlement, The Washington Post reports.

Elouise Cobell, a member of the Blackfeet Nation and the lead plaintiff, initially thought the lawsuit would end within a couple of years. But she says delay tactics by the Clinton and Bush administrations have dragged it out.

Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Byron Dorgan (D-North Dakota) have introduced a bill to resolve the case. A dollar amount hasn't been specified but both say it should run in the billions, a figure the Bush administration disputes.

Get the Story:
Indians Continue Wait for Accounts' Resolution (The Washington Post 8/5)
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Senate Testimony:
Hearing on S. 1439, Indian Trust Reform Act of 2005 (July 26, 2005)

Additional Testimony:
Sen. McCain Statement | Ernie Stensgar | Hoopa Valley Tribe | Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

S.1439 Documents:
John McCain Statement | Byron Dorgan Statement | Full Text of Bill as Introduced | S.1439

Relevant Documents:
Trust Reform and Cobell Settlement Workgroup Principles for Legislation (June 2005)

Relevant Links:
Indian Trust: Cobell v. Norton - http://www.indiantrust.com
Cobell v. Norton, Department of Justice - http://www.usdoj.gov/civil/cases/cobell/index.htm
National Congress of American Indians - http://www.ncai.org
Intertribal Trust Fund Monitoring Association - http://www.itmatrustfunds.org

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